Enthalpy Exchanger Plate Structure for Heat and Humidity Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-to-air counterflow enthalpy heat exchangers face challenges in achieving efficient heat and humidity transfer due to weak supporting structures, low thermal conductivity, and waste generation from perforation processes, which hinder perfect heat and humidity exchange between supply and exhaust air.
Innovation Solution
The method involves creating an expanded metal structure from thin metal foil by slitting and stretching, followed by rolling to increase surface area without waste, and then applying a vapour-permeable polymeric membrane, with subsequent corrugated and embossed shaping to induce turbulent flow and enhance heat and humidity transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a non-woven fabric supporting structure is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the structural strength and thermal conductivity are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure combining metal foil (providing strength and thermal conductivity) with a vapour-permeable polymeric membrane (providing humidity exchange functionality). This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating the advantages of both materials: the metal foil ensures mechanical strength and thermal performance, while the membrane enables the required vapour permeability for enthalpy exchange.
2Quantity of substance
If perforation process is used to create exchange surfaces, then humidity exchange area is increased, but material waste is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a vapour-permeable polymeric membrane that inherently possesses porous structure allowing vapour transmission. Instead of perforating a solid plate (which generates waste), the invention uses a membrane material that is naturally permeable to water vapour, thus achieving the required moisture exchange area without material removal and waste generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical perforation process (which removes material) with a chemical/material selection approach (using inherently vapour-permeable polymeric membrane). This substitution eliminates the need for perforation while achieving the same functional outcome of creating vapour exchange pathways, thereby preventing material waste.
3Weight of moving object
If thin metal foil is used for supporting member, then weight is reduced, but structural strength is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure where thin metal foil serves as the lightweight supporting framework, and a vapour-permeable polymeric membrane is applied over it. The metal foil provides the necessary structural strength and thermal conductivity, while the membrane adds vapour permeability. This composite approach maintains the weight advantage of thin foil while compensating for its insufficient strength through the combined structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in a more efficient heat and humidity exchange with reduced waste and improved structural strength, enabling optimal transfer between supply and exhaust air while preventing air leakage, thus enhancing the efficiency of air conditioning and ventilation systems.
Implementation Method 1
a vapour-permeable polymeric membrane
Implementation Method 2
shaping means for inducing turbulent flow
Implementation Method 3
creating an expanded metal structure from thin metal foil by slitting and stretching
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a heat and humidity exchange plate of an air-to-air counterflow enthalpy heat exchanger, which comprises a supporting member (101) and at least one polymeric vapour-permeable membrane (102), characterized in that it comprises the following successive steps: a - continuous formation of a semi-finished product for the supporting member (101) in the form of an expanded metal structure (1010) from a strip of thin metal foil (1011), whereby the operations of slitting in the transverse direction, stretching in the longitudinal direction and rolling over the entire width of the strip are successively performed; b - providing the expanded metal structure (1010) according to the preceding step with a thin vapour-permeable polymeric membrane (102); c - on the expanded metal structure (1010) provided with the vapour-permeable polymeric membrane (102), formation of corrugated and embossed shape elements of the future heat and humidity exchange plate (10) of the counterflow enthalpy heat exchanger (1) by means of omnidirectional deformation; d - creating a circumferential shape of the heat and humidity exchange plate of the counterflow enthalpy heat exchanger (1) by removing excess edges. In addition, the invention relates to a heat and humidity exchange plate (10) of an air-to-air counterflow enthalpy heat exchanger and to an air-to-air counterflow enthalpy heat exchanger with this plate (10).